Saturday, June 11, 2011

One More Picture

This was the view from the porch last night after I posted those other photographs.

It was a perfect double rainbow, a full arc all the way across the valley. Look how distinct the colors are. We had planned to go up Mont Blanc today but it looks like it is stormy, the mountain is covered with clouds.

Anon, it has been really kind of fascinating and startling to me to see that you are obsessive about taking everything beautiful and making it ugly. Your comments on my experiences in France were unbelievable.

You found nothing but ugliness in my report of being here in the beautiful country of France, and now it appears that you think this beautiful rainbow is somehow gay? How is that, anon, sunlight is diffracted through droplets of rainwater, how does that have a sexual orientation to you? Did you think I posted a picture of a rainbow because there is something gay about it? Everyone here was amazed and went outside to look, everyone was taking pictures, it was a grand, unusual, and inspiring sight to see, a brilliant rainbow spanning the huge Alpine valley of Annecy, a full double arc reaching from north to south. But to you, it's a "gay sign."

Anon, help me understand, do you think I'm gay? Do you think I only do gay things, or that I think about gay people all the time like you do? What in the world motivates you to say these things, day after day?

"Top Democrats called on Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) to resign in the wake of his admission that he engaged in "inappropriate" online relationships with six women in recent years.

The New York lawmaker said earlier this week that he has no intention of giving up his post in congress.

CNN reports that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who chairs the Democratic National Committee, said in statement, "It is with great disappointment that I call on Representative Anthony Weiner to resign." She added, "The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner's continued service in Congress is untenable.""

how judgmental!!

"The call from Wasserman Schultz comes on the heels of Weiner acknowledging that he interacted with a Delaware female teenager online."

Anon, you don't know my type and are incapable of any humor based on caricaturing it. Your comments about my trip were absurd and rude and your suggestion that I am "still looking for gay signs in nature" was also rude. And also absurd. I am traveling in a foreign country, appreciating the different ways that people interact with their world, and in this case appreciating the beauty of their world itself. There is no propaganda angle to it, I love being alive and I love and appreciate the other people who populate the earth. There is no message I am trying to sell.

Let me make something clear. I am not here to speak for gay people or transgender people. I am not one of them, and their problems are their own. I am here to show what it might be like if a straight white male were not an asshole. Maybe it is possible for us privileged guys to accept that others are different from us without feeling threatened by them, maybe we can even learn something from people who are different from us. I am not here to be pro-gay, and all your stupid comments on this blog about the "gay agenda" are ridiculous, why would I care about any "gay agenda?" TTF includes very few gay people, in fact, probably the same percentage or less than the population in general. If people are gay, it is not a challenge to me, it does not diminish my life any, I am not afraid to live in a world that also has gay and transgender people in it. And I can appreciate a freakin' double rainbow over the French Alps without thinking about how I can use it to promote the rights of gay people!

Again, to make it clear, I do not speak for gay men, lesbians, bisexual people of either sex, or transgender and transsexual people who identify one way or the other or any way in-between, I try to speak for people who believe it is possible to live in the world without being assholes about it. Why don't you give that a try and see what happens?

"I don't know how rainbows were ever expropriated by fringe groups as a symbol of sexual deviance."

There's a lot you don't know. Rainbows have long been symbols of diversity. Read and learn:

"...The use of rainbow flags as a sign of diversity, inclusiveness, hope and of yearning has a long history. This denotation goes back to the rainbow as a symbol of biblical promise, when God used the rainbow as a sign to Noah that there would never again be a flood like the one that had happened...

In the German Peasants' War of the 16th century, the rainbow flag together with the peasants' boot ("Bundschuh") was used as the sign of a new era, of hope and of social change...

A flag with a seven-striped rainbow design is used in Peru and Ecuador to represent Tawantin Suyu, or Inca territory. The use of the flag has its origin in Inca culture and it is called wiphala. Even today in the city of Cusco, Peru it is common to see the flag around the city displayed even in government buildings and in Cusco main square...

A flag to represent Buddhism was designed in Sri Lanka in 1885 and modified to its current form in 1886. In 1950 it was adopted by the World Fellowship of Buddhists to be a symbol of all forms of Buddhism around the world...

The rainbow flag has been the cooperative emblem since 1921 when the International Co-operative Congress of World Co-op Leaders met in Basel, Switzerland to identify and define the growing cooperative movement’s common values and ideals to help unite co-ops around the world.

In Essen, Germany in 1922, the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) designed an international co-op symbol and a flag for the first "Co-operators' Day," which was held in July 1923. After some experiments with different designs, a famous French cooperator, Professor Charles Gide, suggested using the seven colours of the rainbow for the flag. He pointed out that the rainbow symbolized unity in diversity and the power of light, enlightenment and progress. The first co-op rainbow flag was completed in 1924 and was adopted as an official symbol of the international cooperative movement in 1925.

red: stands for courage;orange: offers the vision of possibilities;yellow: represents the challenge that GREEN has kindled;green: indicates a challenge to co-operators to strive for growth of membership and of understanding of the aims and values of co-operation;sky blue: suggests far horizons, the need to provide education and help less fortunate people and strive toward global unity.dark blue: suggests pessimism: a reminder that less fortunate people have needs that may be met through the benefits of cooperation.violet: is the colour of warmth, beauty, and friendship...

This rainbow flag in Italy was first used in a peace march in 1961, inspired by similar multi-coloured flags used in demonstrations against nuclear weapons...The most common variety has seven colours, purple, blue, azure, green, yellow, orange and red, and is emblazoned in bold with the Italian word PACE, meaning "peace"....

The world's best-known version of the rainbow flag, sometimes called 'the freedom flag', was popularized as a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride and diversity by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. The different colors symbolize diversity in the gay community, and the flag is used predominantly at gay pride events and in gay villages worldwide in various forms including banners, clothing and jewelry. For the 25th Anniversary of the Stonewall riots, held in 1994 in New York city, a mile-long rainbow flag was created and post-parade cut up in sections that have since been used around the world...

Another variation of rainbow flag is used by Jewish Autonomous Oblast, situated in the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia, by the Chinese border. The stripes symbolize the rainbow. The white field may be reminiscent of the Israeli flag. Proportions 2:3. Adopted first of October 1996...

"you don't know my type and are incapable of any humor based on caricaturing it"

when I said "caricature", I was speaking of the caricature TTFers create of the anons

"The world's best-known version of the rainbow flag, sometimes called 'the freedom flag', was popularized as a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride and diversity by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. The different colors symbolize diversity in the gay community, and the flag is used predominantly at gay pride events and in gay villages worldwide in various forms including banners, clothing and jewelry."

Is there a color for exhibitionists?

I'm sure scientists will soon they are on the right track, baby, they were born that way:

"WASHINGTON -- House Democratic leadership issued a deafening rebuke of Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) midday Saturday, calling on the embattled New York Democrat to resign from his post amid growing controversy over his lewd online activity.

In successive statements, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urged Weiner to conduct his rehabilitation outside the confines of public office. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) the ranking member of the Budget Committee and former DCCC head, followed with the same request 45 minutes later.

“Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help," said Pelosi, whose word carries the most weight of the group. "I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress.”

Shortly after the calls for resignation were delivered, reports emerged that Weiner was, indeed, checking into a treatment center."

Why didn't he think of this earlier?

He just needs "treatment"!!

"I try to speak for people who believe it is possible to live in the world without being assholes about it. Why don't you give that a try and see what happens?"

I'd like to but, as gross as it sounds, assholes are in the eye of the beholder.

"ZAGREB, Croatia -- Stone-throwing protestors disrupted a gay pride march in Croatia on Saturday, a day after the Balkan country was given the green light to join the European Union.

At least 100 people were detained and many others were injured after opponents of the march in the coastal town of Split attacked about 200 participants with rocks, bottles and firecrackers, state TV reported.

Riot police prevented direct clashes between the two groups, which were also separated by iron fences. Police said thousands lined the streets in protest of the march."

Can't for the life of me think why anyone would see the photo of Jim's rainbow on the TTF website and equate it with gay.

1. The rainbow is a famous gay symbol -- just a few days ago, Jim posted a photo of the rainbow flag on one of his blogs about the Federal Reserve.

2. In the "why we are here" section of TTF's homepage, it says that TTF exists to let people know about homosexuality and how it's not a disease. It says NOTHING about vacations in France. Thus, when people come here, they're in the LGBT sex ed curriculum frame of mind.

3. Jim posts his rainbow on the TTF website. It's not as though we're reading Jim's Facebook page or something. Ninety nine percent of the articles have to do with the LGBT community on this blog.

So, we come to this website, the screen appears, we see "rainbow" and our first thought is, naturally, FRANCE!!

Anon, the other day I posted pictures of a valley with mountains, some cows, a lake, and a rustic street scene. Did those have some secret gay message, too?

I post a lot here about bigoted people's failure to accept their LBGT neighbors. It started when a small cell of haters tried to destroy our county's sex-ed curriculum, and we have stayed on-topic since 2004. This blog is not about gay people, it's about those who cannot handle living in a world where people are different from themselves. If you have to call your neighbor a "deviant," if you have to smear him or her with stereotypical insults, if you have to reduce your neighbors feelings of love to dirtiness and immorality, then this blog is about you. I don't presume to speak for the victims of your bigotry, I speak for those who rise above it.

Robert, the world is a wonderful place, magical and more, to anyone who will simply pay attention.

You need to start paying attention.

"If you have to call your neighbor a "deviant,""

why assume such a negative connotation to the term "deviant"?

doesn't "deviant" just mean another color of the rainbow from the norm?

why can't exhibitionists like Anthony Weiner be considered another vibrant shade of the rainbow that is humanity?

won't science just eventually find they have no choice?

even after Weiner's treatment, won't he still have recurring impulses to exhibit himself naked on the internet and won't that prove he was never cured and there is no cure?

anybody see how the whole rainbow analogy breaks down when analyzed?

a rainbow distributes colors evenly within a rainbow but sexual deviance isn't evenly distributed among humanity

or is it?

"If you have to call your neighbor a "deviant," if you have to smear him or her with stereotypical insults, if you have to reduce your neighbors feelings of love to dirtiness and immorality, then this blog is about you."

isn't this an odd thing to say when he regularly threatens to delete or block anyone who he accuses of doing this?

hey, it's all about you and if you post, we'll delete you

homosexuality is dangerous to its participants and this blog has advocated ignorance of that fact

In the six-plus years we have had this blog, I have blocked exactly one person. I have warned trolls a few times that I might delete their comments, and sometimes I do it. But I think if this blog deserves any criticism, it is that I am too tolerant with allowing bigots to rant here. In fact, we get criticized a lot for that.

The comment above this one is an example of that: the statement "homosexuality is dangerous to its participants and this blog has advocated ignorance of that fact" is ignorant, prejudicial, and wrong. I allow these kinds of statements here so our legitimate readers can see that these attitudes really do exist out there, and we really do need to work to oppose them. But it does get tiresome.

"Anonymous" comes here to comment day and night, year after year, displaying tiresome homophobic behaviors like trying to smear gay and trans people with repeated use of variations of the word "deviant" and then trying to intimate there's no negative connotation to this word of choice and that his criticisms are "just joking! tee hee!"

Grow up, "Anonymous."

If you are *not* trying to imply negative connotations with your repeated use of variations of the word "deviant," why don't you change your word of choice to "maverick" or "exceptional?"

Start paying attention to your own publicly displayed homophobic behaviors and try to get a grip on them. They make you look like an intolerant bigot who lobs insults while hiding in shame.

"The comment above this one is an example of that: the statement "homosexuality is dangerous to its participants and this blog has advocated ignorance of that fact" is ignorant, prejudicial, and wrong."

""Anonymous" comes here to comment day and night, year after year, displaying tiresome homophobic behaviors like trying to smear gay and trans people with repeated use of variations of the word "deviant" and then trying to intimate there's no negative connotation to this word of choice and that his criticisms are "just joking! tee hee!""

My comments are always about a set of behaviors, not individuals.

"Grow up, "Anonymous.""

Yes, acquiesence in the gay agenda is the ultimate sign of decadent maturity.

Funny how we call sleazy movies "adult".

Why?

"If you are *not* trying to imply negative connotations with your repeated use of variations of the word "deviant," why don't you change your word of choice to "maverick" or "exceptional?""

Oh, I've rolled out other terms.

I recently thought "sexually exploratory minority" was accurate but I don't get the same response as "deviant".

The dispatch of pictures appear to have been taken by Weiner himself in what is said to be the House Members Gym. TMZ.com reports that it has confirmed the location of where the photos were taken by the lawmaker on his Blackberry and says that it has confirmed they were sent to at least one woman.

A senior House Democrat has renewed her demand that Weiner "do the right thing" and resign from the House because of a sexting scandal on Sunday.

Republicans, who've been keeping a low profile, are now accusing Democrats of showing poor leadership in dealing with Weiner.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the party chairman, said "at the end of the day a member of Congress makes their own decision."

He says Democratic leaders are "defending a guy who deserves no defense."

Weiner's plan leaves top Democrats wrestling with how best to end the furor over the seven-term congressman's misdeeds that could hurt the party's prospects in the 2012 elections.

Weiner's announcement that he would request a leave from Congress came shortly after several Democratic Party leaders demanded he quit on Saturday. The Weiner spectacle, with raunchy online photos and messages, has been a huge embarrassment for Democrats who back in 2006 made GOP ethics misdeeds a part of their successful campaign to win control of the House."

this is crazy!

people are persecuting this guy because of who he is

he was born with this desire

people know from a young age if they want others to see them naked

let's respect all the other hues on the wonderful rainbow of human sexuality

AIDS is a sexually-transmitted disease for the most part. It impacts both gays and straights, and can be avoided through monogamy.

The rights and responsibilities of marriage encourage and support monogamy and thus lessen the impact of any sexually transmitted disease. Why wouldn't you then be a strong supporter of same sex marriage?

"The top leaders in the Democratic party called on embattled Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) to resign Saturday even as the scandal-tarred Congressman announced he would seek a leave of absence from the House to seek treatment.

Of Weiner, Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) said “the behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner’s continued service in Congress is untenable.”"

"Whether or not you think Anthony Weiner should resign, remember this: Republicans have kindly provided the frame in which to argue the question. For some reason, the following query isn't allowed into that frame: Why aren't members of Congress and the media demanding that Senator David Vitter resign?

If you recall (and how can you forget?) Vitter was outed in 2007 during the DC Madam sex scandal as a frequent client of prostitutes. (The mental picture of him allegedly wearing diapers during these visits is nearly as damaging as the actual pictures of Weiner — Vitter's just lucky his fetish wasn't photographed.) But yesterday, as calls for Weiner's exit by Republicans and quite a few Dems were reaching a fever pitch, the GOP hosted a fundraiser for Vitter in a lobbyist's fancy DC townhouse."

What color do you suggest for David Vitter's diaper fetish rainbow stripe?

"Republicans for the most part have stayed out of the debate over Weiner's future. But on NBC's "Meet the Press," Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus criticized Pelosi and other Democrats for not acting sooner.

"It seemed to me that for the first 10 days in this circus that the only job that Nancy Pelosi was interested in saving was Anthony Weiner's," he said.

That drew a sharp retort from Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who accused Republicans of a double standard.

She said that Republican leaders didn't call for the resignation of Sen. David Vitter, R-La., when he got caught up in a prostitution scandal, and that Priebus had not publicly sought the resignation of former Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who stepped down this year over an affair with a staffer's wife."

What color do you suggest for the Reince Priebus' hypocritical "It's OK If You Are Republican" rainbow stripe?

"LOS ANGELES -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has been mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate, is accusing the Obama administration of transforming abortion into a U.S. export and breaking faith with the nation's founding principles by supporting taxpayer-funded embryonic stem cell research.

Perry, a prominent conservative long at odds with President Barack Obama's stand on reproductive rights and stem cell research, spoke Sunday to a mostly Hispanic crowd of about 5,000 at a Los Angeles anti-abortion rally.

Perry said the direction of stem cell research under the Obama administration was "turning the remains of unborn children into nothing more than raw material."

The governor never mentioned the presidential election, but talk about his possible candidacy has increased since two of his former political advisers recently fled Newt Gingrich's troubled campaign."

"Q10. If the 2012 presidential election were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama, the Democrat, and [INSERT CANDIDATE BELOW AND ROTATE LIST], the Republican, for whom would you vote? IF THEY SAY ‘UNSURE/DK’, PROMPT: Would you lean toward Obama or toward [CANDIDATE]? READ OUT A-I. RANDOMIZE LIST.

“the Perry-Rubio ticket would steal that chance from Obama by locking up the Hispanic vote”

Whatever happened to that Palin-Rubio ticket that was going to take the Whitehouse from Obama? You were pretty adamant about that just a week or two ago.

Did you finally realize that Palin’s bus tour is just a clever way for her to get SarahPAC to pay for her family’s vacation, while providing a “presidential candidate” tease for the media, and keep her book sales up?

The fact that he is a son of immigrants himself isn’t deterring Florida Senator Marco Rubio from taking a harsh stance on the issue of immigration.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, said in a recent interview with the Spanish-language network Telemundo that he would vote against the DREAM Act, which was reintroduced in both the House and Senate earlier this month. He has also said he is against any form of amnesty and stated his support for Arizona’s anti-immigrant law SB 1070.

Critics accuse Rubio, who as a state lawmaker introduced legislation to help undocumented students attend college, of changing his tune on immigration for his own political advancement now that he’s a player on the national stage and viewed as a potential vice presidential candidate for the GOP in 2012.

“There’s a Benedict Arnold feeling,” said Jorge Mursuli, an immigration advocate and executive director of Democracia, a Hispanic civic engagement group in Miami. “Having known him, his political career and knowing where he comes from — a hardworking immigrant family — one has to wonder what it is that he’s thinking or how his political ambitions outweigh his life experiences. … It’s not only disappointing; it’s disheartening and, frankly, almost unbelievable.”

While Rubio’s harsh stance on immigration doesn’t seem to be a factor in his popularity among his stronghold of Cuban American voters in Florida, less than half of the non-Cuban Latino voters in the state polled by Latino Decisions on the eve of the November elections said they voted for him.

Compared to the 78 percent of Cuban-Americans who said they would vote for Rubio, only 40 percent of non-Cuban Latinos said they supported him, according to the poll.

Cuban Americans in Congress have historically supported pro-immigration policies and activists have expressed disappointment in Rubio over his position.

“Mel Martinez was one of the Republicans who championed not just comprehensive immigration reform but also the DREAM Act, and this seat has traditionally been the voice of the Republican who understands the issue and does not cater to a radical but, rather, a more sensible element of the party,” said Gaby Pacheco, an undocumented immigrant and DREAM Act activist from Miami.

Former Sen. Mel Martinez, who held Rubio’s seat in the past, Florida Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart all supported the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform.

While Rubio is considered one of the GOP’s best chances at courting Latino voters in 2012, his appeal may be diminished in a national election among this voting bloc as result of his harsh stance.

“To be against comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship and against the DREAM Act defines you in the Latino immigrant community as a hard-liner and an enemy of the community,” said Frank Sharry, founder and executive director of America’s Voice, a pro-immigration advocacy group."http://blog.latinovations.com/2011/05/24/rubio-immigration-stance-contradiction-to-his-past/

"Yes, acquiesence in the gay agenda is the ultimate sign of decadent maturity."

A statement worthy of Joseph Goebbels, who was well known for double-speak and decadent morality. Have you been studying up on Herr Goebbels' words lately, Anon.?

"man, these Democrats are judgmental!!"

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, Anon.!

"the nature of heterosexual promiscuity is limited and restrained"

OMG...talk about an asinine and self-serving statement - ridiculous beyond belief; said by a person who needs to get his head out of the clouds (or perhaps some place else) and address the shameful and dreadful promuscity of his own sexual-identity family members, neighbors, colleagues at work, members of his church, and even the teller at the bank, et al.!

What's it like to be in the minority and to be so perfect, Anon.? After all, the majority persons of your sexual-identity are destroying the intsitution of marriage quite well, without the assistance of GLBT people.

But then, you are "forgiven", so it shouldn't matter to you if you spout hate and idiocy and heap your derision on people whom you dislike.

"Whatever happened to that Palin-Rubio ticket that was going to take the Whitehouse from Obama? You were pretty adamant about that just a week or two ago."

oh, there are so many tantalizing possibilities

Republicans have an embarrassment of riches in political candidates

"Did you finally realize that Palin’s bus tour is just a clever way for her to get SarahPAC to pay for her family’s vacation, while providing a “presidential candidate” tease for the media, and keep her book sales up?"

sounds pretty clever

if that were true, would that be a problem?

even if she decides not to run, she's had a VERY positive effect

the release of her e-mails by Alaska this week was funny

maybe if the media keeps scouring, they'll find something

you do wonder why they aren't scrutinizing the President instead

"A statement worthy of Joseph Goebbels, who was well known for double-speak and decadent morality. Have you been studying up on Herr Goebbels' words lately, Anon.?"

could you elaborate on my "double-speak"?

I'm not seeing it

it may surprise you to know that most figures in history would consider homosexuality to be decadent

further, many of the founders of the Third Reich were gay

"People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"

let's not keep piling on the hypocritical Dems

"OMG...talk about an asinine and self-serving statement - ridiculous beyond belief; said by a person who needs to get his head out of the clouds (or perhaps some place else) and address the shameful and dreadful promuscity of his own sexual-identity family members, neighbors, colleagues at work, members of his church, and even the teller at the bank, et al.!

What's it like to be in the minority and to be so perfect, Anon.? After all, the majority persons of your sexual-identity are destroying the intsitution of marriage quite well, without the assistance of GLBT people."

that was a very humorous rant but we weren't talking about the institution of marriage

"Please cite the source of this "information" for this ludicrous statement."

there are few straight men who have multiple random partners without any emotional attachment

they may be some but they are few and the females who do are even fewer and the convergence of the two, rarer still

as a consequence, straights don't widely spread AIDS while homosexuals do

prostitutes, btw, are generally savvy enough to protect themselves-and even if a married guy goes to one and catches something, it generally wouldn't go past his wife and, as he uses the services of prostitutes, he likely doesn't have any other voluntary partners

face it, the female participation in heterosexuality makes it intrinsically safer than homosexuality

dingbats like David dream that we'll be able to train homosexuals to fight their intrinsic nature and behave like females and so restrain the spread of disease

it hasn't happened yet, and this has been going on for decades

my source of this "ludicrous" information?

it's common knowledge and unless there is unbiased statistics to the contrary will remain so

honestly, the disproportionate gay rate of AIDS infection over such a lengthy period has no other reasonable explanation

Anonymous has no facts to back up these claims because they were made up.

In reality, it looks like heterosexuals are trying hard to catch up to the rates at which homosexuals spread this disease.

"East and Southern Africa remains the area most heavily affected by the HIV epidemic. Out of the total number of people living with HIV worldwide in 2009, 34% resided in 10 countries of Southern Africa.

The vast majority of people newly infected with HIV in the region are infected during unprotected heterosexual intercourse. Having unprotected sex with multiple partners remains the greatest risk factor for HIV in the region. New HIV infections among children due to mother-to-child transmission of HIV are also significant in the region."http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/regions/easternandsouthernafrica/

In the United States in 2001, "heterosexual contact" accounted for "16% (6,472)" of estimated new HIV infections in "2001."http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/reports/pdf/hasr1301.pdf

Five years later the heterosexual HIV transmission rate nearly doubled. "High-risk heterosexual contact accounted for 31% (16,800) of estimated new HIV infections in 2006."http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/factsheets/incidence.htm

AIDS in this country, and worldwide, is largely a phenomenon of poverty. Look at any HIV infection and AIDS epidemic map or data collection for the US, and you'll see what I mean. Anonymous treats his health data as though they were bible verses: he cherry-picks them to make queer people look bad.

"AIDS in this country, and worldwide, is largely a phenomenon of poverty. Look at any HIV infection and AIDS epidemic map or data collection for the US, and you'll see what I mean. Anonymous treats his health data as though they were bible verses: he cherry-picks them to make queer people look bad."

Your point is bogus and wrong, Robert. Homosexuality introduced and established AIDS in the Western democracies. The disease remains disproportionately represented in male homosexuals. Queer people don't need any help from me looking bad.

Your friend is the one "cheery-picking".

His data from the U.S. is a decade old and doesn't help your cause. Ten years ago, heterosexual contact accounted for 16% of new AIDS cases. And yet, heterosexuals make up 95% of the population. Pretty conclusive evidence that homosexuality leads to AIDS. And that's without going into the details of this "heterosexual contact." Point is, lunatic fringe gay advocates have pushed a fairy tale picture of homosexuality on teenagers in public schools and not told them that if they go out and seek homosexual relations, there is a good chance they will contract an invariably fatal disease.

Oh, and let's not forget Africa. Homosexuals there are not generally tolerated so there is not the same opportunity for random unrestrained homosexual pools you see in Europe and North America. There, poverty does indeed play a role because of the tolerance of prostitution.

We're not considering that here so it really doesn't apply.

So, yes, if we as a society stopped putting up with this gay crap and forced millions of women into prostitution, you might be able to say the disease was largely heterosexual.

New Study in Low-Income Heterosexuals in America's Inner Cities Reveals High HIV Rates

VIENNA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released a first-of-its-kind analysis showing that 2.1 percent of heterosexuals living in high-poverty urban areas in the United States are infected with HIV. This analysis suggests that many low-income cities across the United States now have generalized HIV epidemics as defined by the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

UNAIDS defines a generalized epidemic as one that is firmly established in the general population, with an overall HIV prevalence in the general population of more than 1 percent. While subpopulations with higher risk (such as men who have sex with men and injection drug users) may still contribute disproportionately to the spread of HIV in these areas, heterosexual transmission is also sufficient to sustain an epidemic independent of those groups.

The analysis also shows that poverty is the single most important demographic factor associated with HIV infection among inner-city heterosexuals. Contrary to severe racial disparities that characterize the overall U.S. epidemic, researchers found no differences in HIV prevalence by race/ethnicity in this population. The analysis will be presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.

The analysis, led by Paul Denning, M.D., a medical epidemiologist in CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, included more than 9,000 heterosexual adults (aged 18-50) in high-poverty areas of 23 cities who participated in the 2006-2007 heterosexual cycle of the CDC's National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System. This system monitors HIV risk behaviors, HIV testing patterns, and use of HIV prevention services among U.S. populations at risk.

High-poverty areas were defined according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and included areas in which at least 20 percent of residents have household incomes below the poverty line.

Nationally, the United States is considered to have a concentrated HIV epidemic, meaning that it is confined mainly to individuals who engage in high-risk behaviors, which in the United States are primarily gay and bisexual men and injection drug users.

For this analysis, researchers followed UNAIDS criteria for determining a generalized epidemic, and excluded groups at highest risk for becoming HIV infected. Those groups not included in this analysis were gay and bisexual men – who continue to represent the majority of new HIV infections in the United States – injection drug users, and sex workers and their clients.

"These findings have significant implications for how we think about HIV prevention. We can't look at HIV in isolation from the environment in which people live," said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. "This analysis points to an urgent need to prioritize HIV prevention efforts in disadvantaged communities. We are pleased that President Obama's new National HIV/AIDS Strategy reflects this type of approach, in terms of targeting HIV prevention resources to those in greatest need." ..."

"AIDS in this country, and worldwide, is largely a phenomenon of poverty."

this was Robert's bogus point

here's the words of the study he must have heard about and not read:

"Nationally, the United States is considered to have a concentrated HIV epidemic, meaning that it is confined mainly to individuals who engage in high-risk behaviors, which in the United States are primarily gay and bisexual men and injection drug users.

For this analysis, researchers followed UNAIDS criteria for determining a generalized epidemic, and excluded groups at highest risk for becoming HIV infected. Those groups not included in this analysis were gay and bisexual men – who continue to represent the majority of new HIV infections in the United States – injection drug users, and sex workers and their clients."

so, when Robert says AIDS is largely a phenomenom of poverty, he's wrong

it is largely a phenomenom of homosexuality and intravenous drug users

the study excluded the larger portion of cases and focused on the remainder, finding the risk for the rest rises with poverty

of course, this is probably true of most diseases

but as Robert cherry-picks his way to rationalizing his belief that homosexuality is just another fun shade of the human rainbow, he's not letting any facts get in the way

I guess his brain really is a sieve, with truth flowing out of the holes like water

"Ten years ago, heterosexual contact accounted for 16% of new AIDS cases."

Your restatement of the facts reported is not correct. The data you cited from 2001 is not about "new AIDS cases," it's about "new HIV infections." And you seem too have missed the point entirely that five years later, in 2006, heterosexual contact accounted for 31% of new HIV, twice the rate five years earlier.

How do you explain the doubling of new HIV infections in the heterosexual population of the US in five years given your pathetically false assertion "the nature of heterosexual promiscuity is limited and restrained?"

Some "cherry picked" facts from the Kinsey Institute and Infidelityfacts.com (with the links below each set to the rest of the facts)

"Infidelity

...In western countries, between 25 and 50% of divorcees cite a spouse’s infidelity as the primary cause of the divorce. (Kelly, 1987; Amato, 1997)

...Women are less approving than men of sexual justifications for extramarital affairs, preferring emotional reasons such as “falling in love”. (Glass, 1992).

...Infidelity is influenced by many social and demographic factors. All of the following were associated with an increased risk of infidelity: having been part of a couple for a long time; having had a high number of prior sex partners; being male or black; living in a central city; and thinking about sex several times a day (Treas & Giesen, 2000).

Respondents who reported that their relationships were "pretty happy" and "not too happy" were two and four times more likely, respectively, to have reported extramarital sex than respondents who reported that they were "very happy" with their relationships (Atkins et al., 2001)."http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/resources/FAQ.html

"Percentage of marriages that end in divorce in America: 53%

Percentage of "arranged marriages" (where parents pick their sons or daughters spouses) that end in divorce: 3%

""This analysis points to an urgent need to prioritize HIV prevention efforts in disadvantaged communities. We are pleased that President Obama's new National HIV/AIDS Strategy reflects this type of approach, in terms of targeting HIV prevention resources to those in greatest need." ..."

What would you propose instead "Anonymous?" Should we only prioritize HIV prevention efforts for "gay and bisexual men – who continue to represent the majority of new HIV infections in the United States – injection drug users, and sex workers and their clients" while we ignore "heterosexuals living in high-poverty urban areas in the United States?"

yes, poverty is a factor among those who don't get AIDS the common ways, which are homosexuality and IV drug use

I think it's fine to try and prevent AIDS among the low-income although I'm still skeptical about whether the problem isn't just mainly drug use

but the way we started down this rabbit hole is discussing whether homosexuality is dangerous

the answer, which the study does nothing to refute, is yes

if a high school student explores homosexual activity because the have been given a rosy picture of homosexuality in sexual diversity class, they are at a significant risk for contracting an invariably fatal disease

"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with His arrangement [by proponents of the pro-mixed race marriage agenda] there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix."

and

"homosexuals married when they are partnering up with someone of the same gender

that obliterates the meaning of marriage"

gave rise to this unanimous Loving v. Virgina Supreme Court decision and will likely result in a similar decision for same-sex marriage cases.

"Marriage is one of the "basic civil rights of man," fundamental to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial [or gender or sexual orientation] classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State's citizens of liberty without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial [or sexual orientation] discrimination. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race [or the same gender] resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

Tracy Morgan Comes Out For Gay Marriage, Says He'd Love His Son If He Were Gay

UPDATE: Morgan has agreed to go to Nashville with GLAAD to protest the state's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill, according to E! Online. He spoke to the site's Marc Malkin about his regrets over his rant, emphasizing his belief that all children should be loved, regardless of sexuality.

"I know how bad bullying can hurt," Morgan said. "I was bullied when I was a kid. I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it. I never want to use my comedy to hurt anyone. My family knew what it was like to feel different. My brother was disabled and I lost my father to AIDS in 1987.... Parents should support and love their kids no matter what. Gay people deserve the same right to be happy in this country as everyone else. Our laws should support that."_____PREVIOUSLY: Tracy Morgan said on Friday that he's sorry for his homophobic rant earlier this month -- and it looks like he's willing to put his words into action.

In an interview with Russell Simmons at Global Grind, Morgan apologized again for his verbal tirade that sparked national outrage, swore off his hate speech and came out for marriage equality.

"Of all the sicknesses, there is probably none more abusive than homophobia. My heart is committed to giving everyone the same rights that I deserve for myself," Morgan said. "I don't care if you love the same sex as long as you have the ability to love someone I am deeply sorry for the comments I made. What I am most sad about is the comments I made about kids and bullying."

Morgan also noted his support for gays serving in the military -- an issue solved by the recent repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and then insisted he believed in gay marriage, too.

"I believe everyone deserves the right to be happy and marry who they want too; gay, white, black, male or female. Let me know where the rally's at Russ. I'm there!" Morgan promised.

The words came as he works to make amends, not only with his public, but his friends, too. Tina Fey, his "30 Rock" co-star and executive producer slammed his comments but noted that she believed Morgan was a loving person.

"Emphasizing his belief that all children should be loved, regardless of sexuality" is not a ludicrous statement, especially given his sincere and deeply personal statement, "I know how bad bullying can hurt...I was bullied when I was a kid. I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it. I never want to use my comedy to hurt anyone. My family knew what it was like to feel different. My brother was disabled and I lost my father to AIDS in 1987."

IMHO "Emphasizing his belief that all children should be loved, regardless of sexuality" is a statement of empathy and understanding, and obviously way beyond the limits of your ability to comprehend.